One Lucky Man
by SomeKindaWonderful
Summary: Tony reflects on how lucky he feels and flashes back to the first time he told her he loved her.   *Rated T for safety!*
1. Chapter 1

****Yay, a Tiva fic! I know, I really need to do a McAbby fic. I am trying to get these creative carrot juices flowing so the plot bunnies come running! This **_**WILL**_** in fact be a two shot. I just couldn't fit all of my writing into one chapter :)**

**Disclaimer: I would be happy playing a character on NCIS if I couldn't own it... So no, I don't own NCIS.**

**Warning: Do not read if you don't like NCIS, Tony or Ziva, fluff, me, my writing, etc. The quote on Ziva's necklace came out of no where. I don't think it has an owner since I just randomly wrote that. So I guess the owner is me..?**

**On to the story! :D**

**Peace, love, and writing,**

**SKW****

Tony DiNozzo was laying on the couch with his girlfriend Ziva David. He had his head propped up on a pillow and his arms were holding her small form. She was snuggled against him, her breathing slowing as she drifted off to sleep. He smiled and toyed with a strand of her wild, curly hair. He was a very, very lucky man. He had been lost, searching for the right road. He had had his heart broken, and he had broken many hearts. He stopped searching for a home when he found NCIS. He made amazing, true friends and then she came along. When he first met her, her hair was kept out of her face with a bandana, but was flared up in the back in an explosion of curls. Her dark eyes had sparkled and snapped with mischief and flirtation. Her olive skin was glowing and her smile was like a bomb, tantilizingly dangerous. He knew, at that moment, that she was the one. Of course, there was rule number 12 and all of that. But he was afraid. He knew that if they got together, it would be something permanent. And he never wanted to mess it up. But it all went downhill a year ago on her birthday.

_Flashback:_

_Walking into NCIS with a his big, infamous DiNozzo grin, he glanced over to his partners desk. She was cleaning another of her knives in her ever-lasting knife collection._

_"Hello Zee-vah", he said cheerily, drawing out her name like he always did. _

_"Hello Tony", she replied, a mischiveious glint in her eyes. _

_She calmly and slowly cleaned her knife, glancing up at him every now and then. _

_"I suppose happy birthday is appropriate for this occasion", he said lowly. "So, happy birthday."_

_He set a small box on her desk and went over to his. He leaned back in his chair, wide grin still on his face as he waited for her reaction. She looked at the package then picked it up gingerly, shaking it a bit before smiling._

_"Should I open it now or save it for my party tonight?", she asked. _

_"Depends", he said misheviously. "Can you resist the urge?"_

_She smirked._

_"My mother always said the good things came in small boxes", she said, her eyebrows raising. _

_McGee watched with slight interest. It was always interesting to watch when they flirted. It started with subtle hints of it then they would get in each others faces. He was surprised that they actually weren't already together. _

_He sighed with frustration. They were so stupid and naíve sometimes._

_Tony didn't hear Ziva talk about her mother very much so he was surprised, to say the least. He thought a moment before speaking._

_"Your mother sounds like a wise woman", he said, joking attitude replaced by a serious one._

_They shared a secret look, a look between partners that only they could understand._

_**Thank you.**_

_**You're welcome. **_

_Sometimes they didn't have to talk. They spoke with their eyes. _

_Continuing his ridiculousness, he grinned his cocky DiNozzo grin and leaned forward on his desk. _

_"So Zee-vah, what should I bring to your birthday bash?", he asked. _

_"I believe I've got it wrapped", said Ziva. "I've got Abby on decorations, McGee on appetizers, Gibbs on the barbeque, Ducky on drinks and myself on supervising. But, I suppose I could ask you to pick up the cake. Although that could potentially be dangerous.."_

_"Covered, Ziva", he said, chuckling. At her puzzled look, he explained further. "It's covered, not wrapped."_

_Ziva nodded slightly, telling him she registered what he said. _

_"I'll pick up the cake and deliver it safely and I'll personally make sure this is the best birthday you have ever had", he said._

_"I will pick you up on that offer", said Ziva , smiling. _

_"Take you up, Ziva, it's take you up", he said quietly, watching as Gibbs strode into the bullpen, coffee in hand and icy gaze taking in every inch of his surroundings._

_"Will you stop makin' party plans and grab your gear?", barked Gibbs, slapping the back of Tony's head._

_"On your six, boss!"_

_Another case solved and more paperwork to do. A Marine had been kidnapped and the kidnapper had threatened to murder him if they didn't give him a million dollars. Unfortunately for NCIS, they had no leads on how were to find him and the kidnapper was drug-filled and completely out of his mind. It didn't help that the sister kept flirting with Tony although he didn't flirt back. She didn't stop until Ziva threatened to kill her with a spoon if she kept flirting with her boyfriend. In the end, the kidnapper was the girlfriends brother and the Marine was safely returned without so much as a scratch._

_Thankfully, they all got off early and still had enough time to do a huge birthday party for Ziva. Tony kept half his promise and delivered the cake safely. Ziva's apartment looked nothing short of amazing. Streamers were hung in colorful loops and tangles and rainbow-confetti sprinkled the floor. Tony grinned widely as he stepped between people and made his way to the kitchen. _

_"Abbs, you outdid yourself on the decorations", he said as soon as he caught sight of the bubbly, friendly Goth. _

_"Thanks Tony!", she squealed, launching herself into his arms. _

_Thank goodness he set the cake down, otherwise she would have crushed it or he would have dropped it. Ziva would have killed him. _

_It was a regular occurence, Abby's hugs were. For a Goth, she certainly was very hug-y and loving. She even made black look nice. As usual, she wore blood-red lipstick, her hair done in pigtails and she wore her dog collar and tiny skirt. _

_Tony silently hugged her back until she released him from her death-grip. _

_"I had to go all-out, since it's Ziva's birthday", she chattered on. "Ziva hardly ever has birthday parties. I was so glad when she asked me to help with decorations. I just love decorating!"_

_She grinned and bounced around, her skirt swaying as she looked at Ziva's clock._

_"Oh!", she screeched. "I've got to greet people! See you later!"_

_And she was off. Tony blinked several times before spotting Ziva over by the counter unwrapping appetizers and getting cups, plates, bowls and utensils ready for the guests._

_"Hey birthday girl", he said, grinning._

_"Hello Tony", Ziva replied. Her smiled reached her eyes as she turned around to greet him. _

_She saved those smiles for him only. Not even old boyfriends got wind of that smile. It was her special smile. _

_Tony smiled his special smile too and it didn't go unnoticed by Ziva. Her smile grew a tiny bit larger. They stood there for a minute, grinning at each other like idiots until Gibbs walked over and grunted, catching their attentions._

_"You just gonna stand there grinnin' like idiots and ignore the hungry room of people?, he said, his face blank._

_"No, boss", said Tony, hurrying out of the room with trays of appetizers and beverages. _

_Ziva raised an eyebrow at Gibbs, just because she knows he needs to say something to her. _

_"Happy birthday, Ziver", he says quietly, handing her a small box. _

_She smiles a small smile, telling him thanks. He gestures with his hand, which was currently holding a beer. She opens it slowly, savoring the moment. She reaches the box, easing it open. Inside was a necklace and on the necklace was her birthstone. It shone brightly, polished in its glory. Engraved on the back was _**Ziva David**_ and the date of her birthday. Engraved on the top it said "I'll be there on bad days, good days, and any other days. And I'll treasure every moment." _

_Her bottom lip trembled a bit and she handed it to him, silently telling him she would like him to put it on. She turned around and stood there waiting while he set his beer down. She lifted up her wildly curly hair and he secured the necklace and stepped back. She dropped her hair down and looked at the mirror. Tears began to form and she took a deep shaky breath. Ziva turned around and took the two strides before reaching Gibbs. As she stood in front of him, he saw a flash of undeniable trust and daughterly affection. It reminded him so much of Kelly. When she hugged him, tightly and very much so Abby-like, he didn't hesitate to hug her back._

_"Thank you, Gibbs", she whispered into his ear. _

_The necklace in words was his way of telling her how much he cared for her. Abby, Ziva and Kate were his girls. Always would be. Kate was gone, but sometimes it felt like she was still there. He nodded and Ziva released him._

_She wiped away her tears and smiled, her eyes still a little watery._

_"Let's go entertain my guests, yes?", she said. _

_He grunted in reply and they walked into the crowd together, their own secret father-daughter moment forever in their minds. _


	2. Chapter 2

****Hello! Here is the much-expected second chapter of One Lucky Man. I was completely blown away by how many alerts I recieved via email! Thanks so much! But, while I love alerts, I love reviews even better so could you please send me one? :) **

**I am finishing up Better Together, which is in bad need of reviews but got quite a few alerts. I wish you all a very, very merry soon-to-be ****C****h****r****i****s****t****m****a****s****!**

**Also, I am trying to work up the muse to do a couple Castle fics, a Hawaii Five-0 fic, and a McAbby fic. **

**And I tried really hard to get the all of the speeches right, especially Tony's. He's a hard nut to crack, though. **

**Disclaimer: If I owned NCIS, Ziva and Tony would be getting married. **

**Just so you know, **_italic_ **is the flashback.**

**As always, **

**Peace, love, and writing (and lets not forget fanfiction!), **

**SKW****

_The sound of laughter echoed through Ziva's house along with glasses clinking, music blaring and cheerful talking. In short, the party was in full swing. Tony found her beaming face in the crowd and immediately made his way over to her. He couldn't help it; she was so beautiful. She had let her hair stay in small ringlets, the way she wore it when she first arrived at NCIS. He watched as she accepted all of her gifts with grace, and he noticed that she kept touching the necklace he knew Gibbs had given her. His smile was the smile he reserved only for her as he sat down next to her. _

_"Hey birthday girl", he whispered into her ear._

_She looked a bit flustered, and he knew he had caused it. It made his smile a bit wider, and made her narrow her eyes._

_"Hello Tony", she replied. _

_He eyed her pile of presents, and hoped she still had his gift._

_"Still believe that good things come in little boxes?", he asked her teasingly. _

_She smiled at him, and he could have swore her eyes twinkled._

_"Of course", she nodded. "I'm curious to see what you got me." _

_Just then, Abby clinked her wine glass and the silence fell over the house._

_"It's toast time", she declared. "I'm sure we all have wonderful things to say about our beautiful, talented friend. Who would like to go first?"_

_"I'll go first", came McGee's reply. He walked up to the "spotlight", which was really just a spot in the middle of Ziva's house. _

_"Ziva David is truly an extraordinary woman. She is an amazing friend, co-worker, and someone who I admire very much. She's trustworthy, and will make some lucky man very happy one day. I wish joy and happiness in your life, and happy birthday. So thanks Ziva, for being you."_

_Claps and cheers filled the house, and Ziva mouthed a thank you to McGee, as he sat next to her. Unshed happy tears glistened in her eyes as she gave him a hug. _

_"My turn!", came Abby's excited screech, causing everyone to laugh._

_"Ziva's one of my best friends and she's awesome. We didn't like each other when she first came to NCIS because I thought she was trying to take Kate's place, but I figured out that Ziva was just filling the Ziva-less hole in our hearts. I learned to love her, just the way she is, and I found it was a lot easier to love her than I had originally thought. And she accepted me, Goth clothes and all. Happy birthday Ziva, and don't ever change." _

_Abby skipped over to Ziva, who had stood up from her spot at her birthday chair, and gave her a huge hug, which Ziva returned._

_"Thank you Abby", she whispered. _

_"You're welcome", Abby replied with a watery smile. _

_Gibbs wouldn't be roped into a speech, so Ducky gave his._

_"Ziva is a dear young lady, so smart and thoughtful. I always knew that she would fit well into our tight-knit team. I wasn't surprised that she finally fit in, and everyone grew to love her. I am very privileged to have her as a friend, not just a co-worker. Thank you, and happy birthday dear."_

_Ziva gave Ducky a good squeezing hug, and settled back while Jimmy made his speech. _

_"I won't lie that I wasn't afraid of Agent Dav- I mean Ziva- when I first met her. But I learned that Ziva wasn't as scary as I thought she was. I learned that she was a valued friend and co-worker, and very kind and smart. I got to know her not as scary-badass Agent David -she's still badass- but I now know her as badass-loving friend Ziva. I hope your birthday is so far good."_

_Jimmy blushed a bit when Ziva gave him a quick hug, and a thank you. _

_Finally, it was Tony's turn. All eyes were on him. _

_He took a deep breath and grinned at everyone._

_"I'm not so great at making speeches, so I'll just say what comes to mind."_

_The whole crowd tensed, nervous and excited, since they all knew that Tony and Ziva were perfect for each other._

_"Miss Ziva Dah-veed has been my partner and friend for about six years. Over the years, she has been a reliable, always there when there is a problem, and so much more. She understands me more than everyone else, because let's face it, I'm hard to understand."_

_His comment on himself brought a small laugh from the crowd, and he continued on. _

_"She is hands down the best partner I've ever had. No offense, McGee. I needed to get her something special for her birthday, and I couldn't think of something non-cheesy or not her. And then I saw it, and I knew it was perfect. I had to make a few alterations, but I know that you'll love it. Now I realize after so long that my badass ninja woman has stolen my heart, and won't easily give it back. I know I don't have the best track record with women - ask anyone - but you're too special for me to ever hurt. Go ahead and open your present from me and remember, you know I don't go back on my promises. Happy birthday, Ziva." _

_Ziva's eyes were about the size of the small box Tony had gotten her, and her lower lip wobbled. She wiped a stray tear away, and began to unwrap the mysterious little box that had caused all of this mayhem. _

_She finally made it to the box - she's a slow present-opener because she takes the time to enjoy every gift - and lifted the top off. Nestled inside a small bit of fluff was the most gorgeous ring Ziva had ever seen. _

_Her gasp could be heard all through the house. The ring was a simple silver band, but with a lot of engravings in it. On the very top there was a small stone, shining yellow and orange with __**Tony and Ziva **__engraved in the stone. And all around the ring were small words, like __**promise**__, __**love**__, and __**remember me**__. Ziva looked around, trying to find Tony, as the women in the party squeezed in to take a look._

_"Oh my god, is that an engagement ring?", came an excited voice. _

_Ziva was feeling overwhelmed, but she slipped the ring on her finger, excused herself and made her way outside. Her backyard was small, but beautiful. It had flowers of all kinds planted in the flower beds, nice and neat. Her grass grew in luscious and gorgeously green, and several birdbaths could be seen. She saw Tony sitting on the swing she had reserved for tanning days and reading days. His expression was nervous, glum, and something else she couldn't describe. In love. No, that couldn't be it. But it was. She smiled at him, and sat close to him, their knees, elbows, shoulders, and heads touching. _

_"This is a beautiful ring, Tony", she said, her eyes sparkling. "What did you mean when you knew it was perfect?"_

_"Because", he said hesitantly. "Your like the sun, bright and warm and strong, and when I saw it, I saw you. You may not know it, Ziva, but you are the highlight of my day, and no matter how crappy my night or morning was, I know you can smile your Ziva smile and everything will be alright." _

_Ziva was silent a moment, then rested her head completely on his shoulder._

_"Why the hell did it take you six years to say that?", she said irritably. "You idiot. Tony DiNozzo, you're so lucky that I don't punch you in the face right now."_

_He looked startled as she lifted her head off his shoulder._

_"It took me six years to say it because I never did -and still don't- believe I could be the right man for you", he said. "Ziva, you should be marrying some lawyer who can give you anything you want; a white picket fence, children, even a damn dog."_

_"I don't want some lawyer man, Tony. I want you. Any other man could give me all kinds of things, but only you can give me what I want."_

_Tony pondered a moment. He got on his knees in front of her and said, _

_"You might punch me in the face, or give me internal damage after I say this but.. I want you to know that I love you, Ziva David, and will love you no matter what, until the day I die." _

_Ziva let her tears flow, leaving a trail down her face. She threw her arms around him, and squeezed tight. His arms enveloped her, and he stroked her hair. _

_"Just so you know, that wasn't an engagement ring", Tony said, a little reluctantly. "It's a promise ring. And it's not an empty promise Ziva, it's a real one, that I'll keep."_

_Ziva felt a little disappointed, but she just smiled against his shirt and closed her eyes._

_He pulled away just a little bit, so he could look into her eyes. Their gazes collided, hazel that happened to be blue today and deep, passionate brown. He asked her a silent question, and she nodded. He laced his fingers through her hair, leaned in a bit, and touched his lips to hers. A jolt shot through her body, and his. He pullled her in a little closer and nearly groaned. She tasted like wine, sweet, sweet wine. She was in his lap now, and they were making out like a couple of lovesick teenagers. Lovesick maybe, but teenagers, no._

_The sun was going down, fiery orange, bright yellow, and cherry blossom pink surrounding it with color. Still oblivious to the world - and __**still **__making out like teenagers - Tony and Ziva had no idea that watching from the patio were their friends, videoing and snapping pictures of their offical first kiss. But it really didn't matter anyway, because they had each other, in the warm fading sunlight in her backyard in front of her "reserved for reading and tanning" swing, being watched as they kissed. It wasn't just a kiss, it was a kiss that could last a lifetime. And Tony knew, right then and there, that he was one __**damn **__lucky man. _


End file.
